nbc news senior political editor mark murray joins me to talk more about this. mark, this puts a number of states in play now. we talk about west virginia after jay rockefeller's retirement and possibly south dakota, massachusetts as well. how possible is it for the gop to pick up six seats in 2014? >> it is possible. but it will be difficult. democrats are playing defense right now, thomas, given these retirements. but also just the terrain that the 2014 senate map will be on. there are democrats up for re-election in arkansas, alaska, louisiana. and now you end up having that open seat in west virginia. all of those four states haven't been hospitable territory for democrats in national elections, particularly presidential ones. but this is an eternity in politics. when november 2014 rolls around. there's a very long time. just two years ago no one thought democrats would be able to pick up senate seats at this point two years ago. at this point four years ago no one thought republicans would be having the very big november 2010 they ended up having. >> if we